Animals with hooves can develop infections and have other problems with their hooves. An early detection of many problems is possible by testing the sensitivity of the hoof, when pressure is applied directly to a small area on the bottom or ground contact surface of the hoof.
Typically, large scissor-like clamps are used, with both handles being urged together to squeeze the hoof at various points. The hoof is tested around the bottom perimeter and the internal area of the flat walking surface of the hoof. If the animal flinches in an unusual manner, while pressure is being applied, then there is a potential problem with the hoof in that area.
In order to properly examine the hoof, and perform the numerous pressure point tests, the hoof must be firmly held by the examiner, typically gripped between the examiner's legs, with the hoof portion positioned so that the bottom of the hoof can be seen and examined. The difficulty in doing this examination is that the clamp-like tool and hoof must both be held in position at the same time. Since it requires two hands to use the typical hoof clamp-like tool, the hoof itself is held only be the examiner's legs.
When the animal flinches, due to a sensitive spot being squeezed, the examiner optimally should have one hand on the hoof or animal leg, so as to stabilize and minimize any further movement. If both hands are being used to operate the hoof tester, then any movement by the animal will be more unrestricted than if a hand was able to stabilize it.
Prior tools, used to check hooves for pressure sensitivity, have comprised large scissor-like clippers or clamps, with both handles operating around a common pivot point, with the jaws connected directly to the handles. These tools require that the examiner use both hands to manipulate the handles in instances where the hoof between the jaws has a size that spreads the handles beyond the reach of a single hand. This causes the examiner to have difficulty in testing the proper area if the animal moves its hoof even slightly, since any error movements from the hands on the handles are exaggerated due to the length of the handles themselves.
Optimally the examiner uses one hand to operate the hoof testing device, with the other hand to hold the jaws of the device against the hoof prior to operation. In order to do this, using prior art examples, and still check the entire bottom of the hoof for sensitive areas, the examiner must use several clippers or clamps of different sizes. This proves unwieldy, when doing checks on a number of animals, or animals in remote locations. As a result, a need for a single plier-like device, that can be adjusted to fit the various sizes of hooves and locations on the hooves has arisen.